2018 Crane Count Completed

I woke just before my 5:30 alarm this morning. It wasn't totally dark, but it was dark enough to warrant turning on a handful of lights, enough for me to see without waking the family. I put on a pair of flannel-lined jeans, two pairs of socks, a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and a flannel shirt on top.

It was 35 degrees F and drizzling. I slid on my new, brown Frogg Togg rain gear. I purchased a size L to make sure they'd fit over my layers. I grabbed my boots, gloves, and yellow BvB snow cap. My last step before heading out was grabbing my backpack.

The pack had a handful of useful items in it which I'd packed inside plastic grocery bags the night before (rain-proof, right?). The camera, my phone, my keys, my wallet, a Norwex cloth to wipe away rain from my glasses, and my dad's binoculars.

I pulled into the Sugar River Wetlands just before 6:00.

I lifted the wipers from windshield to be sure there was no chance of freezing. It was still raining. Despite the 35 F temperature, I wasn't cold. Layering did the trick. As my high school ecology teacher liked to say, "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing."

The wind was the real monster. The wind advisory for the day said sustained winds of 25-30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. With the snow cap over my ears and my Frogg Toggs ruffling in the wind like a loose tarp or tent caught in a storm, I couldn't hear much.

It was dark. And my glasses were covered with drizzle dots. I could make out the trail, so I started by heading north from the parking lot. This is the smallest portion of the boundary for the State Natural Area.

I could make out some calls: Song Sparrow, Red Winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, American Robin.

But I couldn't actually see anything.

Something to my right. Just feet away. It sounded like an asthmatic chicken or something. It's call was clearly in distress. As I crept forward down the trail, the call changed direction moving from my right to my left. Something had taken off, flow just in front of me somewhere, and I hadn't seen it.

As for the cranes. There were no guard calls. There were no unison calls.

Overall by comparison to other trips, the marsh was quiet. No Canada Goose honks, no Mallard quacks. Mostly wind and Red Winged Blackbirds.

Once I could see the Sugar River, I turned to head back south.

It was getting lighter. I could see birds on the trail ahead of me. They come down to the trail to pick at the grit.

There are sparrows here in abundance. Sparrows can be tricky to identify. They are small brown birds which are wary enough of people to stay away. Field marks and calls are very helpful in identifying them. Darkness, rain, and quiet made this task mostly impossible. I can say with certainty that I saw Song Sparrows and Dark Eyed Juncos, but at this point in my outing they were all simply small shadowy birds staying 20 or more feet ahead of me on the trail.

Just a little ways south of where I had parked my car, I noticed two large rocks. The DNR recently did a controlled burn of the area. It's a combination of wet prairie and true mucky wet marsh land. This end is mostly prairie with plants like big blue stem as the dominant species. I stopped because I couldn't remember there being large rocks of any kind on the site.

I stood on the trail and stared. It was starting to get lighter. I could tell that the two large rocks were gray, and that they didn't really look like rocks. They began to unfurl themselves, stand erect and stare back at me. My first pair of sandhill cranes. They didn't guard call at me. They just stared almost as if bewildered. While I was thinking how lucky I was to have come across them in these miserable conditions, they must have wondered what a human was doing out in them.

I continued southward. The trail runs through a viaduct over which the highway roars, although this morning there was little traffic. Then there is a stand of oak trees.

It was quite here. The trail is little bit lower here and the stand of trees is fairly dense. There was no wind or much less. It wasn't as cold. Visibility was still poor. And there were birds everywhere.

Red Winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, American Robins, Northern Flickers, Dark Eyed Juncos, Ruby Crowned Kinglets, Eastern Phoebes, Downy Woodpeckers, White Breasted Nuthatches, and a Hermit Thrush.

I crossed out of the oak stand. To view the wetter marshy area on the south end of the site. Typically I can spot at least two pair of cranes here.

I looked. No cranes.

I walked further down the trail. Every few feet, the same startled call as I heard at the start of my outing. But now there was enough light for me to see. Wilson's Snipes. Literally dozens of them. A few tried to take off like they would for a display flight, up in the air they went but all were driven back to ground swiftly by the shifting winds. Most just moved 10-20 feet further into the marsh and away from the trail.

No cranes.

More "rocks". Canada Geese hunkered down, riding out the storm.

I walked back to the oak stand to get out of the wind.

A lone jogger ran by. Scared all the birds off the trail. He was the only other person I saw.

Persistence and experience told me not give up on the south end, there are always cranes, all spring and summer long. Their prints can be seen on the gritty trail.

The end of the oak stand is actually mostly Quaking Aspen and Red Osier Dogwood. The Dogwood seems to grow in clumps out in the marsh as well. A Northern Flicker was moving about in one of the Aspens, when something caught my eye between the trees and probably 70 some feet out.

Two long necks. Light gray or white. I finally dug the binocular out of the pack and grocery bag.

Between my glasses getting constantly wet and the binoculars getting wet. They were mostly useless, but the light was getting better. Two more Sandhill Cranes, These two were feeding together slowly picking through the marsh, seemingly unaware of my presence.

By this point, I'd covered the site top to bottom. My core was dry and warm. My face was wet and cold. And beyond knowing that it had become significantly more light out. I had no idea what time it was. I hadn't taken my phone or camera out for fear of them getting wet.

I started back to the car.

When the car started, the clock let me know it was 7:45 a.m. I decided to end my count 15 minutes early.

We're expecting snow tomorrow, it's already started tonight.

Crane Count 2018 - Preview

Next weekend, on Saturday morning, a host of birders across the Midwest will participate in the Annual Midwest Crane Count.

It will be dark. It will be cold. It will be early in the morning.

The count will start the same way as every year. At about 5:45, I'll roll out of bed, grab a pair of flannel lined jeans, my winter coat, hat and gloves. Grab the camera and binoculars, although they will be useless until the sun comes up.

I will drive to the marsh and listen. Initially, it will be too dark to see but the cranes near the Sugar River will call to each other, so long as I listen, I will be able to spot them. By the end of the count, 8:00 AM, the sun will be up and the air will just be starting to warm, and with any luck I'll get some pics of my crane neighbors.

Sandhill crane ambling through the marsh - 2016

Next weekend will mark my third Crane Count. In 2015, I counted by myself. I spent most weekends that spring familiarizing myself with marsh. Getting to know the inhabitants and the migrants. And it's now my spot.

In 2016, I invited my father to join me. We followed my routine from 2015. Bundled up and headed out into the dark. I could hear the cranes calling the dark, and with his poor hearing, he questioned if we'd see them. As the sun started coming up, we first saw Wilson's Snipe take to the air in flight displays. By the time we reached the south end of the state natural area, we could see a pair of cranes in the reeds. As 8:00 AM approached, we headed back to the north end of the marsh, we had another pair fly just overhead and came across the one pictured above moving through the marsh alone.

Last year, we had planned to do it again, but do it bigger. We had hoped to go out to Horicon Marsh or Necedah National Wildlife Refugee to see if we couldn't come across Whooping Cranes in our count. Instead, I sat by his side in Illinois. He'd had a stroke caused by a brain tumor and wasn't doing well. I told him that I'd continue to count each year, and one day I'd still make it out to one Wisconsin's federally protected wetlands, and that I'd take my oldest with me when she got older.

This year, I will return to the local marsh to count cranes. Like my most recent birding adventures, I'll bring his binoculars with me. And later in the month on what would have been his 70th birthday, I will head to Horicon National Marsh and spread some of his ashes there. These will be our last birding trips together, and at the same time, whenever I go out carrying his binoculars, I don't feel alone.

Amazing Asters: Feeding Pollinators into the Fall

Last fall, the asters I had planted the year before bloomed incredibly well. The handful of plants I'd started with were open for most of October. So I thought I'd take a moment to share why asters are a vital part of any native plant landscaping.

Like other native plants, they are pretty easy to grow. They are also relatively easy to find. I've seen both New England and Sky Blue Asters at nurseries. I've chosen New England Asters for my yard.

The bright purple flowers add some perk to the Wisconsin fall. In addition they have been very successful at attracting pollinators (and rabbits too). This past October, I photographed bees and butterflies coming to snack on the asters. I've shared these pictures below. These flowers are a critical part of the food web for native pollinators. Many flowering plants in the upper Midwest peek during the warmest, sunniest months from June through August. A good strategy for maximizing both your support for pollinators as well as to maximize your bloom time is plant a variety of species which flower throughout the year from as early in spring as we can muster to as late in fall. Asters are a great addition in support of these goals.

Bees in the asters.


And more bees


A monarch in October? Can you find it?


Still working on butterfly ids, not sure what this one is.

Winter - A Great Time To Get Out of Your Yard to Bird

I recognize that the entire purpose of this blog was / is aimed at encouraging readers to landscape with native plants to build a healthy ecosystem at home and enjoy the wildlife which inhabits your yard. However winter wildlife watching can become run of the mill. Another Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, woodpeckers back at the suet, finches on the nyjer feeders....sometimes you need to get out.

During the winter a host of birds will look for places with open water to pass their time. Open water provides places to find food, places to swim in relative safety, and of course a place to drink. The upper Midwest has a number of places where there will be some amount of open water. In fact, for some of you this water might just be right near your backyard.

Water features of note are good sized rivers (especially ones which generate hydro-power) like the Wisconsin River. Sites near hydro electric dams tend to remain open. Areas which end up artificially heated by human activity or urbanization like the Mississippi near Dubuque, IA or Lake Michigan near Manitowoc or Milwaukee may also be places with open waters. Larger bodies of water like Lake Michigan or the Mississippi are unlikely 100% freeze over anyway and may be slower to freeze up in the fall / early winter when compared to smaller bodies of water.

So what are you likely to see?

Bald Eagles for starters.

Bald Eagle Days in Sauk Prairie - 2012?

A host of Midwestern cities have eagle watching festivals or tours including: Sauk Prairie WI, Dubuque IA, Galena IL, Prairie du Chien WI and Starved Rock State Park IL.

You will also see waterfowl too of course

Tundra Swan nears Brownsville MN 2016

All of the Mallards and Canada Geese which had been loitering around the golf course, your yard, the local retention pond are joined by mergansers, golden eyes, swans, and less common varieties of duck and geese in open water wherever it's found. Not only are a number of these species attractive; they can be easy to spot as they are moving about in flocks. On their own merit these are worthy birds to watch. Personally, I've been most interested in the migrating swans. These can be seen near the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge in places like Alma WI and Brownsville MN. Most recently, I encountered Trumpeter Swans on Lake Evergreen near Hudson, IL (and as you can see others have seen them too.)

If it's starting to feel like winter is dragging on, jump over to ebird and explore the data, either by species or region and plan an outing to see something which holds your interests and makes the cold bearable.

Forget the Blue Spruce, Go with a Midwestern Evergreen

I encountered something strange recently. Folks had homes built in a fairly typical mixed Oak, Pine forest in Wisconsin. They had removed most of the trees to put in turf grass, and then replaced the Pines and Oaks with Colorado Blue Spruce. I haven't quite wrapped my mind around bringing the suburbs to the wilderness, but here's a thought for Midwestern homeowners: forget the Blue Spruce and plant something that would naturally occur locally in your yard.

The Colorado Blue Spruce is a very popular conifer. They have vibrant color, and spruces planted together make excellent wind blocks. However, their native range is a corridor of the American West, and Blue Spruce has little ecological value in the Midwest. It's even become somewhat invasive in places where it's grown for Christmas trees, having escaped some plantations in the Northeast.

There are a number of evergreens native to the Midwest which are commercially available including: Eastern White Pine, White Spruce (sub species - Black Hills Spruce), and Eastern Red Cedar which should be considered in place of planting Blue Spruce.

All plants bring some value to our yards; that's why we plant them. In some cases, it's aesthetic like color or texture, in other cases it's functional like shade or barriers for privacy. All of the plants in our lawns also have some ecological value and function, some more, some less. All of these evergreens will establish roots that will help with water infiltration, and all provide cover for wildlife including nesting birds.

Eastern White Pines can be found in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and northern parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. These Pines have good wildlife value and are a food source for both birds and mammals. Pine Warblers, Crossbills, and Pine Siskins, Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Woodpeckers can all be found foraging in Eastern White Pines. White Pines have low salt tolerance and are not necessarily good candidates to plant along roadsides.

White Spruce (subspecies Black Hills Spruce may be easier to find commercially available) is native to the northern part of the Midwest including parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. White Spruce is an important food source for many animals including Red Breasted Nuthatches, Evening Grosbeaks, and Pine Siskins. White Spruce is also an important part of the Red Squirrel diet, and Snowshoe Hares rely on White Spruce as a winter food source. White Spruce is a salt tolerant species and can be planted along roadsides.

Red Cedars procedure "berries" which a host of birds eat, most notably Cedar Waxwings. These berries can be an important food source in late winter or early spring especially for birds like Robins who may arrive to find colder than expected conditions. It is also a fairly salt tolerant species so it can be planted along roadsides.

When next you decide to plant an evergreen, consider one of these three before you purchase the Blue Spruce.

Midwest Crane Count 2015 - The Plan

Each year the International Crane Foundation organizes the Midwest Crane Count as the cranes complete their return migration. Any day now, folks in Central and South Central Wisconsin should expect to hear migrating crane calls as the Sandhill and Whooping Cranes return.

Whooping Crane hunting at the ICF.

In preparation for the event, I spent part of yesterday afternoon scouting the Sugar River Wetlands to find the best place to observe the cranes. I didn't actually see much any wildlife while out their yesterday, but hopefully my luck will be better in a month's time.

The crane count is on April 18 and runs in theory from 530 to 730 am. Noting that sunrise isn't until 606 and the state recreational areas do not up until 600; I think I'll end up with a slightly delayed start.

Upcoming Bird Counts

There are two upcoming birds in which I plan to participate. Here are the details in case you interested.

The 2015 Midwest Crane Count

This count is done all over the Midwest, it's a pretty major event. Results of the count are logged in Ebird.org. The event is intended to count the number of Sandhill and Whooping Cranes and to help identify the number of breeding pairs.

My plan is to get up early and head out to a local DNR run wetland to participate in the count.

The 2015 International Crane Foundation Bird-A-Thon

The bird-a-thon is a fundraiser for the ICF. The idea is pretty simple, a bird or a team of birders spends a 24 period looking for different bird species. They document each one. Before the bird-a-thon begins they look for people to donate to cause. Folks can donate money per species identified, for example if someone donated $1.00 per species and a team found 40 species, the total donation would be $40.00.

My plan is to use a day in mid-May to do my counting starting with my backyard and then spending most of my day in a local county maintained prairie.

Winged Wednesday - Catching the Flycatchers

When getting started with backyard birding, you may find that it's easy to attract your first dozen or species by putting up a bird feeder. You may be able to increase the number or frequency by planting certain plants such as Cardinal Flower, Purple Coneflower, or Blue Stem grasses. The birds which can be most difficult to catch a glimpse of are the ones which you can manipulate less easily. Many birds have a diet filled with insects and small invertebrates. In an earlier post, we previewed some of the Thrushes you may encounter in your backyard. This post will focus on Flycatchers.

Eastern Phoebe came buy right after both our yard and our neighbor's yard was mowed.

Flycatchers are birds which specialize in catching flying insects in flight. Often they rely on a technique called hawking. Flycatchers may be found sitting on perches such as fence posts, shrubs, tree limbs, or wires. These energetic birds may bob a bit while perched. They make short flights out to catch insects before returning to their perch.

Common Flycatchers in the Midwest include: Eastern Phoebes, Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern Wood Peewees, and the Least Flycatcher. Birds like the Eastern Phoebe or the Least Flycatcher may be attracted your neighborhood if there is ample vegetation which provides a woody understory. Cedar Waxwings are often attracted to lawns which have trees or shrubs that fruit such as Pagoda Dogwood, Serviceberry, or the Cockspur or Washington Hawthorns. Kingbirds tend to be more prevalent in rural areas; I can remember seeing them on fence posts while growing up Central Illinois.

Unsure if it's the same Phoebe, but this was from the first time we saw one in the yard which was in 2013.

There are other things you can do as well to attract these birds. Remember that native vegetation supports native insect life, and native insects support native birds. You can also leave the grass of your lawn a little longer, as this will also increase your lawn's insect population. You may also find that after mowing when the insects are all stirred up is exactly when these birds will come to visit.

Common Critters - Striped Mammals - Raccoons and Skunks

Two of the larger mammals you may encounter in your Midwestern backyard aren't necessarily the kind of visitors you'd be excited to stumble into in the dark of night. They are also the kind of visitors you may want to keep away from your pets. Both of these visitors are adorned with stripes; they are the Raccoon and the Striped Skunk.

Raccoons are remarkably intelligent, adaptable, and persistent members of a family of mammals which includes Coatis and Kinkajous. Raccoons may be attracted to your neighborhood for foraging. They will happily topple over garbage cans, eat left out cat food, and even eat from bird feeders. Their industriousness can be a challenge; one often faced by campers who have to find inventive ways to keep these mammals out of their coolers.

Because of their nocturnal nature, you may never actually spot a Raccoon in your yard, but you can look for signs. Raccoon paw prints often look like little hands. You can also look for gnaw marks on your garbage cans or other outdoor totes. You may also find particularly gnarly looking scat in your yard. Raccoon droppings are fairly distinct; let's just say that if it came from your dog you'd be fairly concerned.

We've recently had Raccoon visitors and needed to move our bird feed tote into the garage. Note that it also means that we have been good about closing the garage door at night, since they would not be afraid to enter it while we sleep.

They were smart enough to go for the handles which fold over to form a lock for the container.

Based on the goodies I have in there, I assume they were after the peanuts or striped sunflower seeds.

Striped Skunks may also visit your yard during the night. They can be attracted to neighborhoods in surprisingly large numbers if folks leave food out for cats. They also enjoy rooting around the soil for grubs; the end result is almost a reverse mole hill. Skunks will also look for shelter in dense bushes or under decks. When I was in college there was a Skunk which lived in the bushes near the auditorium; he'd come out during the night and could be found foraging around the building. We haven't actually seen a Skunk in our yard, but we have had mornings where we could still smell Skunk lingering in the air when we let the dog out.

Neither of these species is on their own a pest. Having mammals in your backyard may simply be a sign of good biodiversity. They may be busily munching away on the insects, amphibians, or fruit you have growing in your yard. They could also be a sign that you or your neighbors could do a better job cleaning up after yourselves by not leaving pet food or garbage out. They can however become a problem if they interact with your pets or children, or if they manage to get themselves into places where they don't belong such as your shed, garage, or attic. Many counties no longer offer animal control services for problematic wildlife; if you encounter serious problems with Raccoons or Skunks please consider finding a company who can trap and relocate the unwanted visitor.

Plant by Habitat: Boreal Forest

Over past few weeks, we covered a variety of natural communities found in the Upper Midwest including: Deciduous Forests, Prairie, Pine Barrens, and Oak Savannas. Each post is intended to help readers select groups of plants which grow together naturally. This post will focus on the trees and shrubs which make up the coniferous and boreal forests of the Upper Midwest.

Red Breasted Nuthatches enjoy peanuts in addition to conifer seeds and insects.

The key feature of a coniferous forest, are of course the coniferous trees. In the Upper Midwest these forests are composed of dense stands of Eastern White Pine (More on Native Pines), White Spruce (More on Native Spruce), and/or Balsam Fir. When grown in close proximity these trees form a dense canopy which creates shade below throughout the year. These trees are home to native bird species such as Pine Siskins, Red Breasted Nuthatches, and Pine Grosbeaks; all of which will feed on the seeds of these plants by extracting their meal from the cones produced by the trees.

Black Hills Spruce is a subspecies of White Spruce which is generally easy to find.

These stands of Pine, Spruce, and Fir may not be entirely homogenous; other trees which can be found in these forests include: Hemlock, Paper Birch, and Quaking Aspen. Paper Birch is an attractive tree with white bark which many people choose to plant in their front yard. Quaking Aspen is another option; it grows remarkably quickly. Both the Paper Birch and the Quaking Aspen are deciduous, but neither grow a large shade- providing canopy (like an Oak or Maple would).

If the tree cover is dense, the understory will be sparsely populated, but some shrubs found in the understory include: Serviceberry, Witch Hazel, and Blueberry. Blueberry can be particularly tricky to grow as it requires a low soil ph ideally between 4.0 and 6.0. If your yard has much limestone, the ph is likely to0 high. Serviceberry and Witch Hazel provide interesting color at opposite ends of the year. Serviceberry will bloom with white, showy flowers in the very early spring. Witch Hazel will turn vibrant yellow in the fall.

Our Alleghany Serviceberry's showy spring blooms.

In the forest you are unlikely to come across much grass, however you may find other forms of ground cover including Wild Sarsaparilla and Bunchberry. I haven't seen much of either commercially available, so if you are looking for something to put down other than turf grass, you could consider Pine straw or needle mulch, stone, and/or try some ferns such as: Christmas Fern or Lady Fern.

Coniferous forests as described in this post are common in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan than in the rest of the Midwest. If you are unsure of these plant selection, please visit your state's DNR or Forestry website for information on coniferous forests in your state. Happy planting!

Plant by Habitat: Deciduous Forest

A recent theme for many posts has been planting by habitat, whereby we've tried to identify native plants which can be planted together to simulate natural communities. For most of these communities trees are the backbone with shrubs and other plants being the guts. Depending on what you already have in your yard, you could be off to a good start. This post will focus on the Deciduous Forest.

A number of tree species which can be easily found commercially may already be planted in your yard. In the Upper Midwest, trees common in yards and the forests include: the Sugar Maple, Red Maple, and White Oak. These trees are excellent shade trees for your yard, and they support a host of wildlife. Common forest birds which are likely to be attracted to these trees include: Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Downey and Hairy Woodpeckers, Black Capped Chickadees, White Breasted Nuthatches, Blue Jays, and Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers. Maple sap may even be eaten by migratory birds who take advantage of the Sapsucker's drill holes including Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. An Oak's acorns will attract a variety of other kinds of critters including Squirrels and Chipmunks. Mor e information on these trees can be found in earlier posts; Information on Oaks or Information on Maples.

Red Bellied Woodpecker comes down for a visit.

A number of other trees make up the skeleton of the deciduous forest; note that some of these trees may be more difficult to find than their Oak or Maple counterparts. These trees include: American Beech, American Elm, Basswood, Black Cherry, and Shagbark Hickory. Black Cherry will attract certain species of caterpillar which are eaten by birds, and the fruit of the tree will also attract our feathered friends including some which may not come as regularly to feeders such as Orchard Orioles. The Black Cherry is also very attractive when in bloom. The American Beech produces a nut which is smaller than an acorn. Beech nuts are eaten by Red Headed Woodpeckers, the Tufted Titmouse, and Red Breasted Nuthatches. The Shagbark Hickory's bark is an excellent hunting ground for birds like Nuthatches and the Brown Creeper as the bark is home to many insects.

Once you've selected some variety of trees for your forest planting, you'll want to move on to the understory. The Mapleleaf Viburnum is a good Viburnum to consider when looking for forest shrubs. This plant can provide excellent cover and protection for birds and small mammals. It may produce abundant fruit eaten by birds like Grouse or Turkey. American Witchhazel has showy yellow flowers in the fall. The fruit produced by this shrub is eaten by Northern Bobwhites, Grouse, and Eastern Cottontail Rabbits. Witchhazel can be grown as a shrub or managed to be grown as a small tree.

Birds like this Gray Catbird enjoy dense shrubby cover.

If providing dense cover with trees and shrubs, you may encounter a challenge in selecting flowers which will tolerate the shade. Here are some suggestions for native flowers which you may be able to find for this habitat: Jack in the Pulpit, Large Flowered Trillium, and Virginia Bluebells. Trillium has a showy white flower which appears in May or June. The Bluebells grow low to the ground and have small blue flowers which present early in the year in April or May, around the same time the Jack in the Pulpit flowers.

If interested in having a forest getaway, this post should be a good place to get started. Many other native plants also grow in the Deciduous Forest, ask your local nursery for more information. Happy planting.

Common Critters - Backyard Mammals - Leaving Trails Behind

There are two common types of backyard critters who leave some pretty obvious tracks behind even if we never actually saw our visitors. Both moles and voles leave telltale signs behind as they forage in our lawns.

Voles: There are a few different kinds of voles one may encounter including the: Prairie Vole, Pine Vole, and Meadow Vole. Voles make runaways along the ground which you are likely to encounter if you do any shoveling of snow in your yard or immediately after a thaw. We often find vole runaways which lead directly to the areas below our bird feeders. You may also notice damage to bark around your shrubs after the snow melts; this could be from hungry voles looking for a winter snack. Plantings thick with native plants, especially native grasses may attract these rodents to your yard. Voles play an important role in the food chain, as they are a staple in the diets of many raptors like hawks and owls.

Moles: These little miners are in fact quite different from voles. Moles of the Midwest include the Star Nosed Mole and the Eastern Mole. Lawns are generally ideal mole habitat as they burrow their way looking for worms and other soil dwellers to eat. This burrowing leaves a trail of pushed-up dirt and sod, mole hills, behind which helps with soil aeration. These can be easily pushed back in place by walking along the trail. Moles are one of the few native animals which will eat Japanese Beetles. While they may be annoying as they incidentally uproot some vegetation in their quest for insects, their endeavors are generally beneficial.

Your lawn has probably attracted both species at some point or another, so the next time you run across an odd path of grass in your lawn know that either the voles or moles have come to visit.

Winged Wednesday - The Thrush Rush

The spring brings a wave of migrants to our yards, gardens, and parks. The time period from mid-April through June can make or break a bird count. One group of these migratory visitors who can really help boost a bird count are the Thrushes.

The Thrushes have traveled from the south in search of food and mates in the north. Some of these birds will stop and nest in the Upper Midwest, while others will continue their journeys northwards.

The most common of these visitors is the state bird of Wisconsin and Michigan, the American Robin. This Thrush thrives in backyards looking for grubs and worms. They are considered the heralds of spring, and they are the Thrush we can all pretty much count on seeing.

This Gray Catbird dug around in our compost before paying the neighbors' bushes a visit.

Eastern Bluebirds are becoming an increasingly common Thrush after their numbers had dropped off. Efforts to install birdhouses and monitor them over time have helped bring back the Bluebird. Like most Thrushes, they'll need the right situation to come bounding into your yard. In their case, shelter is the right incentive. Bluebirds will look for houses where they have the appropriate surroundings to forage for food, where there aren't too many other Bluebirds around, and they may require protection from House Sparrows and Starlings. (See an earlier post about birdhouses)

This Swainson's Thrush spent a couple of rainy evenings foraging in the bushes.

Other Thrushes may visit your lawn looking for food especially during or immediately after transit. In the early part of spring, berries may be their best dietary option. Parts of Wisconsin are still seeing snow, which means insect foraging isn't exactly an option. Plants like Staghorn Sumac, Dogwood, Hawthorn, and American Holly have fruit which may persist over the winter and provide food for these birds. We have seen Hermit Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, and Swainson's Thrushes scoping out our compost as well.

A Hermit Thrush at the edge of the compost.(Note - He may be hard to see, he's right in the center.)

As the weather improves, expect that you may see these birds in your yard if an understory of relatively dense shrubs is available, and if there are other sources of fruit such as Serviceberry, Chokeberry, or Nannyberry. Come fall, they will make their exit, and the following spring the cycle and count will start again.

Common Critters - Backyard Mammals - The Flying Kind

Just a few days ago, the Wisconsin State Journal reported about how Wisconsin's bats are struggling White Nose Syndrome, and given that we expect to start seeing bats more often as the weather warms, now seemed like an ideal time to do a post about bats.

The Upper Midwest is home to a number of bat species including:

• Little Brown Bat
• Big Brown Bat
• Northern Myotis
• Silver Haired Bat
• Hoary Bat
• Red Bat
• Eastern Pipistrelle
• Indiana Bat

Of these species, the Little Brown, Big Brown, Northern Myotis, and Indiana Bats are known to be affected by White Nose Syndrome. White Nose Syndrome is caused by fungus which can be passed by bat to bat contact and affects hibernating bats. It ultimately results in death; the mortality rate is above 90%. Solitary bats and migratory bats seem to be less affected.

Most bat species can be found hanging out in tree hollows, caves, or abandoned mines or buildings. The Little Brown Bat is the most abundant bat in much of the Midwest and is the species most likely to end up in your house.

Bats come out as the sun sets and feed on insects throughout the night. They begin their feeding as birds like Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, and Common Nighthawks finish their own. Some bat species are generalists, eating a variety of insects, while others like the Red Bat seem to be moth specialists.

Bats like birds need shelter and food. Bird houses are an everyday occurrence in people's yards, but bat houses can be as well. Bat houses simulate the roosting space found in dead trees, they operate very similarly to the bird houses which are occupied by cavity nesters like Chickadees and Bluebirds. Your yard itself can provide food as well if you aren't using chemicals to eradicate insects and if you leave your grass a little longer. Increasing the biodiversity of your plant life will also increase the diversity of the insect buffet served to these aerial mammals.

If you aren't sure if there are bats are in your neighborhood, wait for the warmer weather then wait for sunset. Watch the sky just above your lawn before it gets truly dark. You should be able to see the bats if they are present. You can also find a nearby street light which attracts insects and watch to see bats participate in this served-up meal.

Bats are interesting backyard mammals which are somewhat accustomed to living alongside humans, and if we think of them as the Swallows of the night, they don't seem quite as troubling.

Plant by Habitat: Pine Barrens

In the previous Plant by Habitat post, we identified some plant species to combine in a yard to create an Oak Savanna, in this edition, we'll describe some plants which are found in Pine Barrens.

Pine Barrens are habitat found in the Upper Midwest in parts Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Pine Barrens are home to coniferous trees like Jack or Red Pine which do well in acidic soils. Poor soil quality and highly acidic soil are characteristics of the barrens which impact what types of plants grow in these communities.

Sandy or acidic soils in your own yard may prompt you to consider planting species found in pine barrens together. The first step for creating your Pine Barren is to find the correct tree species. First you'll need Pines, and you'll start with Jack or Red Pine. You can also consider Oaks, which are commonly also featured in Pine Barrens.

Once the trees are selected, you'll want to move onto the shrubs and understory. A pine barren doesn't support much of an understory, hence the name, but certain shrubby plants are found amongst the pines. These plants include two which are commercially available and which strongly support wildlife: the American Hazelnut and the Low Bush Blueberry. Hazelnuts are eaten by a variety animals including small mammals, Wild Turkey, and Grouse. The sweet blueberries are enjoyed by people as well our animal neighbors.

Lupine is an attractive ground cover found in the Pine Barrens.

Much like the Oak Savanna, this habitat was filled with prairie grasses and wildflowers. Plants common to the Pine Barrens include June Grass, Little Blue Stem, Blazing Star, and Blue Lupine. The Lupine is of particular importance to the habitat. It is a legume and puts nitrogen back into the soil for use by other plant species. It is also the host for the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly whose caterpillars feed on the leaves.

Endangered butterflies may not be the only interesting visitors to your lawn if you successfully establish a Pine Barren. By planting Jack Pines and Blueberries in particular you may help the recovery of the endangered Kirkland's Warbler as your yard may become an attractive nesting site.

For More Information:

WI DNR - Pine Barrens
MI DNR - Pine Barrens

Common Critters - Backyard Mammals - Marsupial of the Midwest

Marsupials are a group of mammals typified by carrying their young in a pouch. People often associate marsupials with Australis as well known marsupials include Kangaroos, Wallabies, Wombats, and Koalas. People often don't realize that a wild marsupial may be foraging in their yard by night or digging in their garbage. What marsupial is this?

The Midwest's only native marsupial and the only one native to the United States is the Virginia Opossum The Virginia Opossum can be found in much of the United States and in Mexico as well as some parts of Canada. It's highly adaptable and tolerant of human neighbors similar to other familiar mammals like Raccoons.

This particular Opossum was larger than a domestic cat but slinked elegantly under our neighbor's deck at dawn.

While the Opossum may look like an oversized rat to some, the cat-sized marsupial is something quite different. It is most active at night and is often struck by motor vehicles. Opossums are omnivores and will eat fruits as well as insects and small animals including nesting birds and their eggs. If you have a compost, fruit trees, or leave your garbage or pet food out at night, your yard may become an attractive foraging ground.

Opossum's leave really interesting tracks because their paws are specially designed for climbing and grasping. The tracks feature four toes similarly positioned to fingers with a thumb to the side. It's key to remember that features like this and their pouch make them distinct from rodents. They are unique creatures in North America even if they are widespread.

Leave that Austrian Pine Behind, Try These Pines Instead

Conifers make really great additions to our lawns. Many remain green through the winter; they provide shelter for birds, and they can be used as wind blocks. They can grow into big, majestic looking trees which cry out "wilderness" as though they belong with the great Redwoods of the West Coast.

Pine trees in particular strike us. More often than not when evergreen trees are misidentified, they are misidentified as pines. "Look at those pine trees." "I found those pine cones." In many cases, the tree identified could be a Fir or Spruce. People assume Pine and evergreen are synonymous. This says something about Pines, they are the representative for all evergreen trees.

The Austrian Pine is a relatively popular choice for yard and urban plantings. The tree tends be very full and is popular because it's tolerant of winter salting. This tree is capable of naturalizing and becoming invasive. It was cleared from the Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan in 2011 and can be found in wild tree stands in the Eastern United States.

Like many other plants, there are native alternatives to consider when selecting a pine.

The Eastern White Pine is an excellent choice. Not only is it native, but it's fairly common and commercially available. It's also the tallest conifer native to the Eastern U.S. The White Pine grows quickly but is not as salt tolerant as the Austrian Pine. White Pines are not necessarily good choices when planting along side roads and sidewalks because they may succumb to salt injury. However, they can be a beautiful addition to your yard and may help attract song birds such as Pine Grosbeaks.

This Eastern White Pine grows in our front yard.

The Jack Pine can be found natively in parts of the Midwest including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. Young Jack Pines may attract nesting Kirtland's Warblers, so like the Eastern White Pine they can be good for attracting birds. They are also one of the first trees to grow after forest fires as the cones will open from immense heat of the fire. Jack Pine is more salt tolerant than White Pine and will do better along roadsides.

Red Pine (also called Norway Pine) is native to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. It is the official state tree of Minnesota. The tree tends to be very healthy and resistant to pests. This Pine does not grow as tall as other Pines and should max out around 50 feet. The Red Pine can be an attractive addition to your landscaping because of its unique reddish bark. The Red Pine like the White Pine may succumb to salt injury and should not be planted in areas which receive heavy winter salting.

If you are planning on putting in any Pines this spring try to see if you can find a White Pine, Jack Pine, or a Red Pine; they are excellent choices when going native.

Don't Plant That Spruce! Plant This One Instead.

Spruces. Many people opt to plant Spruces when choosing an evergreen for their yard. Evergreens make for good wind blocks, provide shelter for nesting birds, and add some color in Winter. Spruce trees also make for an interesting topic of discussion for anyone interested in debating the line between native and invasive plant species.

Two of the most common Spruces planted are the Norway Spruce and the Colorado Blue Spruce. The Norway Spruce is native to Europe. The Colorado Blue Spruce is native to North America, but not the Upper Midwest. It is home to Colorado and Wyoming, but it has been planted throughout the United States. The blue color of its needles makes it a very attractive plant. As for whether or it is invasive or native, for purposes of this blog, it's invasive as it is not native to the Midwest.

Two native options which can be a little more difficult to find are the White Spruce and the Black Spruce. White Spruce can be found natively in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Its native range goes well beyond the Midwest spreading eastward to New York and westward towards Alaska and Montana. Black Spruce occupies a similar range spreading northward.

Black Hills Spruce

Finding native Spruces can be difficult, but a subspecies of White Spruce, the Black Hills Spruce, can be found fairly easily. White Spruce can be found in stands growing with Black Spruce, Aspen, and Birch. Spruce trees provide food and cover for a number of birds including: Grouse, Red Breast Nuthatches, Red Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks, and Pine Siskins.

Red Breasted Nuthatch Visiting For Peanuts

To help form a partial wind block at the northern end of our yard, we planted a Black Hills Spruce in line with an Eastern White Pine. They are about 14 feet apart. Between these two but staggered to the South we planted a Quaking Aspen. Each tree is planted near the center of a 10 by 10 square. Something like this:

Pine
	Aspen
Spruce

This year we plan to fill in the empty spaces with other shrubs and native grasses to form a "no mow zone" at the North end of the yard, and to provide some cover for ground dwelling birds. If you have suggestions for which shrubs or plants we should add to our "no mow zone", feel free to send your thoughts our way.

Know Your Weed Ordinances

Many cities have regulations about lawn care, in particular they tend concern themselves with noxious weeds. Noxious weeds are typically highly invasive plants which grow rapidly and are concerned a threat to agriculture. The list of weeds varies some by state.

Here are weeds for you to be aware of:
• WI Noxious Weeds
• MN Noxious Weeds
• IL Noxious Weeds
• MI Noxious Weeds
• IA Noxious Weeds
• Federal List

If you are considering a no mow lawn you will want to be aware of these plants and local regulations. These plants are not likely to be something you have intentionally planted, but that doesn't mean they won't take root amongst your native plants. Given that going to a native plant landscape can stir some trouble with the neighbors, it's best to make sure any complaints they may have are not legitimate. Be sure to weed out or remove any noxious weeds.

Most municipalities have ordinances which read something like this:

Properties should be maintained, with lawns, hedges and bushes kept from becoming overgrown or decayed. Vines, grass and rank vegetation may not exceed a height of 6 inches on developed lots and 12 inches on undeveloped lots. Trees limbs near sidewalks should dip no lower than 8 feet from the ground. Overhanging branches may be trimmed back to the property line. Dead trees and limbs or other natural growth that is rotting should be removed.

Noxious weeds must be cut down prior to blooming, and in no case shall be allowed to grow to a length of 6 inches or more on developed lots and 12 inches or more on undeveloped lots.

Check with your local government to make sure you understand any local regulations before going mow free. Also consider lower growing plants when choosing natives, as this may help you steer clear of trouble.

The goal isn't just about growing native plants in your yard, but ideally convincing others to do the same, and this may mean being a good neighbor while playing by the rules.

Winter and Your Plants

From what I've seen on Facebook and at the garden centers, folks are itching to get back out into their yards and do some gardening. However for those of us in the Upper Midwest, winter just finally set in. There's been cold wind and snow to shovel, so it's hardly the right time to be out in the yard tending our flowers.

So if we aren't tending to our plants, what's happening to them out there in the cold? What good is winter anyway?

Vernalization is the process which enables our annuals to flower after prolonged periods of cold temperatures. In other words, some of our plants would not be able to flower without the winter. Perennials and some trees also need a prolonged period of cold to break dormancy and enable flowering. wiki

Stratification and Scarification is the process which enables certain kinds of seed to germinate. The cold temperatures can scarify seeds because of how water/moisture behaves when the temperature changes. The expanding and contracting of the moisture can scarify the outer shell of the seeds helping them to germinate. For other plants the cold weather is more like a trigger. The seeds "know" that after X number of cold weeks, followed by warmer temperatures that it's time to come out. We can accomplish this by stratifying our seeds in the refrigerator or by planting seed in the fall.

Snow is also important to plants in the winter. While the upper portion of many plants is dormant during the winter, roots are still active. The roots receive insulation and moisture from the snow, which help to keep the plant alive.

In other words, while we feel trapped inside, the environment is doing a good job tending to our native plants all winter long.